The present invention relates generally to a solar collector system for utilizing solar radiation, and in particular, a solar collector system that uses a conductor for warming both water and air conditioning coolant while also using photo cells for generating electricity.
A known dome covered solar collector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,525 to Prado and is hereby incorporated by reference. This type of solar collector has a sheet of energy absorbing material that has the shape of a step pyramid and is enclosed in a transparent dome. A continuous coil of heat conducting tubing or pipe winds around the pyramid collector. Fluids that pass through the pipe are warmed by heat transferred from the solar collector and through the wall of the pipe. The solar collector has a dome to trap more heat within a cavity between the solar collector and the dome, to reduce convective radiation loss. As a result, the known domed solar collector provides heated fluids for a residential building while eliminating reliance on external connections to a fuel source for heating water, such as natural gas.
The known dome covered solar collector, however, does not include an apparatus for generating electricity to run household equipment such as motors or fans for air conditioners, furnaces or other appliances. A residence using the known domed pyramid solar collector must still use another separate source for a supply of electricity. If an electric company is the outside source supplying the electricity, the residence is dependant upon the actions of that electric company, which could be inconvenient and/or expensive.
In the alternative, a separate solar panel or wind driven electric generator may ultimately be less expensive than a connection to an electric company, but the initial costs may be higher due to installation and equipment required. In addition, both the solar and wind electric generator systems may be difficult to erect and aesthetically unappealing.
The known solar systems also do not provide a method for independent air conditioning systems that do not rely on outside sources for fuel or electricity. More specifically, in conventional mechanical absorption refrigeration systems that use ammonia as the coolant, the ammonia is heated to change the state of the coolant from liquid to vapor or gas in a generator for more efficient release of the heat outside of the area that is to be cooled. The generator is used instead of, or in addition to, a compressor. These systems require a connection to a supply of heating fuel or electricity to run a burner to heat the coolant.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved solar collector system that enables a residential building to be more independent of separate gas and electric supplies.
More specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved solar collector system with a dome covered pyramid solar collector that generates electricity to run appliances while also generating heat to provide hot water and air conditioning.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved solar collector system with a transparent dome with photovoltaic cells used to generate electricity.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide an improved solar collector system with two separate circuits of piping around a pyramid collector so that one separate heat transfer system is used to change the state of a coolant for use in an air conditioner while the other heat transfer system heats water.
These and other objects of the present invention are discussed or will be apparent from the detailed description of the invention.